Aircraft cowling seal



May 12, 1953 L. AVONDOGLIO AIRCRAFT COWLING SEAL Filed May e." 1949 INVENTOR.

ATTORN EYS.

Patented May 12, 1953 AIRCRAFT lCOWLINGr SEAL Leo Avondoglio, Verona, N. J., assignor to Curtiss- Wright Corporation, a corporation of Dela- 7 Claims.

This invention relates to rotating cowling for aircraft and particularly to a novel means for sealing the gap between rotating and xed cowling elements where the cowling elements are provided wtih air passages therethrough.

While the invention is not limited to the particular configuration of cowling shown and described in this specification, it is particularly useful in connection with aircraft cowlings known in the art as NACA type E. Such cowlings consist of a xed annular portion having an annular tunnel or passage for air which is led to a power plant or to other air consuming apparatus.A Ahead of the fixed cowl is a rotating cowl or spinner, usually cooperating with a propeller, this rotating cowl, externally, comprising a streamlined forward prolongation of the fixed cowl, and having an axial air entrance opening leading into an annular passage which registers with the annular passage of the fixed cowling. Cowlings of this type in operation are subject to relatively low exterior air pressure while the passage or tunnel within thecowling system carries air at somewhat higher pressure due to ram effect and due to the fact that the annular air tunnel leads to apparatus across which there is a substantial pressure drop, whereby static pressure within the passage or tunnel is somewhat higher than the pressure existing outside of the cowling. Necessarily, y

there is a gap, to provide running clearance, between the rotating cowl and the fixed cowl and due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the cowl there is usually a' substantial air leakage from the air passage to the exterior of the cowl causing both a loss of air within the cowl tunnel and an increase in drag .exteriorly of thevcofwl due to the issue of air from the gap or clearance between the cowls.

There have been suggestions ,in the prior art to provide a running seal for the cowling gap to prevent air leakage, such seals usuallycomprising a sealing ring, a, leather or' fabric or plastic rubbingseal or other devices. Such mechanical seals, while they may be fairly effective, increase the complication of the structure, add weight and cost, and are susceptible ofrapid wear.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dynamic seal for a cowling gap which operates without positive mechanical sealing and thus without wear, friction or complication. The purpose of the dynamic seal is to equate the static pressure inthe inner end of the cowling gap at the-cowl passage, to the static pressure existing at the outer end of the gap adjacent the external profileofthe cowling.. `With equalization of pres- Application May 6, 1949, Serial No. 91,706

sure adjacent the gap ends within and without the cowling, there is no force tending to cause air flow therethrough and thus an effective seal is established to eliminate, minimize, or suppress any tendency for gap leakage in the cowling system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dynamic cowling seal between rotating and stationary cowling components while another object is to apply the principle of the venturi to a cowling seal. Still another object is to provide a dynamic seal between spaced conduits in tandem relation subject to fluid iiow therethrough and thereover, while another object is to provide a dynami-c seal for an opening subject to fluid ow thereacross. Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds, the description being supplemented by the attached drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal fragmentary Section through a cowling system incorporating the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, only portions of the cowling assembly relevant to the invention are shown since this form of cowling is familiar to those versed in the art; it is not deemed necessary to show the cowling in conjunction with an airplane, its power plant, or other related components.

In Fig. 1, I0 represents a fixed power plant nose cowling, the power plant carrying a propeller hub I 2 of any appropriate type on its output shaft. A spinner I4 embraces the propeller hub and the spinner profile is blended with that of the cowling I0 to define .the inner wall of an annular air duct lli-I8, I6 representing the forward portion of the duct and IB the rearward portion thereof. The duct portion I6 is further formed by a rotating cowling or spinner 2G whose inner wall 22 denes the outer margins of the passage I6 and whose outer wall 24 defines the initial external cowling profile, of streamlined configuration. The rearward duct portion I8 is formed by a xed cowling 26 whose inner wall 28 is the wall of the duct IB and whose outer wall 30 forms a streamlined prolongation of the outer wall 24 of the rotating cowling 20. Preferably, the rotating cowling walls 22 and 24 are secured to one another at their rearward ends by an annular plate 32, while the forward portions of the cowl elements 28 and 3l) are secured to one another by an annular plate 34. These plates 32 and 34 are in slightly spaced relation to one another and dene therebetween a gap 35 enabling the rotating cowling to rotate relative to the fixed cowling Without wear, abrasion, or scraping. With this gap however, there is an opportunity for air leakage from the duct l--I to the exterior of the cowling system, such leakage entering at the inner annular end 38 of the gap and leaving the Cowling to mix with the ambient air at the outer annularend 4d ,of thegap.

The spinner M and the forward yc owling 'til are secured together and are associated with propeller elements i2 mounted in the hub I2, such propeller elements including blade supports 44 extending across the passage Iii andqthrough the outer Cowling wall 22. Such blade supports 44 are embraced by streamlined jiairings ff-45 -to minimize drag in the system and `obstruction to the flow of air through the passages iii-I8.

These fairings may be structuralfniembersfuring the Cowling 2li to the spinner i4 and ,to ,the propeller, As indicated previously, the `forno of the propeller is immaterial to this invention but normally, the propellercomprises blades Stil yeatendingfroin-the elem-ents t2 andithroughrotating VCowling vwall Eil and -arechangeahle in A-pit'zch through appropriate ymechanism associated with the propeller, mounted in the huh l2, and niaypass through the lfailings land the outer cowl vwal-ls "22.2 and 24.

iDuring-.fiig-htstatic pressure in the duct 'lili-l duefto ram of air at the Vforward air entrance opening 55s, is normally lsomewhat 'higher than the fstaticpressure existing inthe region of -the gapenddi on the-outsideof the Cowling-whereby "there ris outward fiiow :of `air through the gap 38. age, which tends to diminish :the .ram ketliciency in the duct :Il-lt yand which ftends to increase the drag -of :the Cowling .assembly :due `to the issue of air from the outer gapendfil, a-pressure equalizin'g device i5'2 .is incorporated in thefcowl system. `.This Mdevice 52 comprises fan annular band which extends forwardly and rearwardly respectively `from 4vthe gap end v38, i inspaced relation-to lthefccwli-ng wallsr22 and'. 'J-Preferably, the l band 252 fmay be secured to vthe 1xedco-wling wall .28 by streamlined :spoke-like Amembers A'516 spaced around the Cowling.

'Theband l2 is formed, lin 'its :re-lation .to fthe proiile l of vthe :inner cowl-ing walls 122 :and *228 to provide vanannular venturi :whose throator narrowest portionklies -atithe gap end 3'8an`diwhose forward and rearward portions respectively vdiverge frointhe-cowling walls 22a-nd 28. `Alpertion. of thefram.airddxmfing through the ducts I6 and li8 ris bypassed through vthe narrow-annular duct d8' between the `bandandy thefcowlingfw'alls. This bypassingair ischanged'iniits velocityand static'head, in. passing throughfthe venturi, and is Larranged to provide at the throat `adjacent the gap B8 a reduced static pressure `substantially equall tothe static pressure presentat the gap end lilatthe out-.side of the-Cowling. Byitheexiste'nceof equal pressures'at the ends 38 land 40 o'f the gap 35, there will be no leakage or 'flow of air through the gap. The air passing the venturi throat,-at.38, ows on through-*the diverging partof the duct to remix `with the major portionof'thefair which 4passes through 'the cowlingfducts.

It is appreciated Ythat the presence Iofv the band 5 2 in the gcowling passage lwill oieralminor obstructionrto the iiow of yair throughithe cowling passages but -by skillful 'design of1the band, fthe dragfprovided thereby issmall-comparedwith the drag-.fandloss of Vfeillciencywhich-,wo1.11d: result if Alternatively, blades may :be l

In orderfto suppress 4'such gap flow orlealr- 4 air were allowed to pass freely through the gap 3S between the rotary and stationary Cowling elements, and the effect of the band on airiiow through the ducts Iii-I8 and on ram efficiency will be small.

There might be situations wherein the flow of air .through the. Cowling gap. mishthe inwardthat;is,-fronj1 thefambient outside air through the gap to the ram air passage. At times this may Ybe desirable, but if not, the shape of the annular band t2 could be modiiied to provide for .an :increase yin pressure at the inner end of the gap end 38, ab0ve that pressure existing in the ba'gla-nce'of thepassage IGHHB, such a result being accomplished py making the entrance and exit edges M and 55 of the band closely spaced ,tpzzih Qxlllg'walls 22 and 28, with the spacing of the Nband 52 from the Cowling walls in the region Iof the gap end d8 wider than at the forward and rearward edges of the band. Alternatively,the Venturi band mightibelocated around the outer gapend M.

-Afdynamic seal. Y'system of lthe ytype shown and described will .operate with full 'sealing eect, when properly designed, at one Iconditionfof ar speedandr ambient. air density, and at :one condition of ram `pressure-and velocity within -thelduct Iii-11%. lSuch optimum designs-should` be chosen inan aircraft Afor the .'light condition-most irequently encountered. :.Eilectiveness ofthe seal will '-,be `goed at conditions which diverge i-rom optimum vto a considerabledegree andtheseal will-probahlygbe rather ineiective under conditions-whichsdiverge widely from voptimum design conditions. Howeven'the importance-of seal leakage during certain'operating regimes of theaircraft is .not signicantas tto overall. preformance so that lthematching of optimum sealfdesign and mostfrequentiflight conditions will produce an overall improvement fin "aircraft operation. 'lhe seal f arrangernent can be `adjustable `ii" desirable andzi'frjustiedby operating considerations. ,Adjustment may bevmade responsive r-ftofdeparture of gap leakage yfrom a minimum value, such-'departurefeiecting adjustment'to restore .minimum leakage.

.TNO :firm design criteria for gap seals .of v:the sort described lcan be `given herein. 'IfIowever, the :seal design may :taire into consideration the centrifugal'pumpingfaction which may .occurbetween -`the cowl plates lr3?! y.and 34, .boundary f dow DI.16.110menafoverA the Cowling and .within-the ducts, andfother airow phx-mornena-of A:generic charactelvorofa aoharaoterspeeiioto a particular cowling design. and the conditions under which'itf-is expectedftooperate.

Itis-withinlthe scope'ofthe invention,.as limited by the appendedclairnsfmapplyrthe principles hereof lto apparatus `other than aircraft inlfwhieh "dynamic sealing may befuseful.

'houghibut `a single embodiment ofthe-invention has ibeen illustrated fand. described, :it is to be understood that the inVentionmay-be applied in .various forms. Changes may befmadefinthe arrangements yshownY without-'departing from the spirit or scope of'the'invention `aswillloe apparent ,to those :skilled in the art, and reference should-'be made to the appended-claimsfior a dennition ofi-the limits ofthe invention.

'1.1In-.an aircraft cow-ling'including-a rotating spinner having anI annular air duct therethrough disposed in ladvanceofA la stationary 1cov/ling having.- an `annular @internal duct. forming acontin-uationfof the :spinner --Jduct, therei heingfa.gap-suloV ject to air leakage between said spinner and cowling through which air leaks from the duct to the lower pressure area surrounding the cowling, an annulus overlying said gap within said ducts and in spaced relation to the walls of the adjacent spinner and cowlingI duct walls, said lannulus defining, with said duct walls, an annular venturi having the gap opening into its throat; said venturi serving to equate the pressure of a small portion of the air passing through said ducts at and adjacent the inner part of said gap'within said ducts to the pressure of the air coexisting at the outer part of said gap exteriorly of said cowling, thereby to suppress the passage of air through and across said gap.

2. In an aircraft cowling including a 'rotating spinner having an annular air duct therethrough disposed in advance of a stationary Cowlinghaving an annular internal duct forming a continuation of the spinner duct, there being a gap subject to air leakage between said spinner and cowling through which air leaks from the duct to the lower pressure area surrounding the cowling, an annulus overlying said gap within said ducts and in spaced relation to the walls of the adjacent spinner and cowling duct walls, said annulus defining, with said duct walls, an annular venturi having the gap opening into its throat; said venturi serving to equate the pressure of a small portion of the air passing through said ducts at and adjacent the inner part of said gap within said ducts to the pressure of the air coexisting at the outer part of said gap eXte- 'riorly of said cowling, thereby to suppress the passage of air through and across said gap and means securing said annulus to the stationary cowling.

3. In a cowling system for aircraft, an annular fixed cowling. having a central air passage therethrough, an annular rotating cowling having a central air passage alined with that of the fixed cowling and opening thereto, said cowlings also being alined and having a gap therebetween where they lie adjacent and spaced from one another, and means to suppress air leakage through said gap between the air passages and the cowl exterior comprising an annular band secured to one of the said cowlings within said air passages, said band being spaced from the cowling inner walls and bridging over said gap, f .said band forming with the cowling walls, a venturi through which a portion of the air of said central passage flows, the throat of said venturi being disposed at said gap.

4. In a cowling system for aircraft, an annular xed cowling having a central air passage therethrough, an annular rotating cowling having a central air passage alined with that of the fixed cowling and opening thereto, said cowlings also being alined and having a gap therebetween where they lie adjacent and spaced from one another, means to suppress air leakage through said gap between the air passages and the cowl exterior comprising an annular venturi-rormng band within said air passages, spaced from the cowling inner walls and bridging said gap, said band cuter surface diverging from the rotating and fixed cowling inner surfaces to denne with the cowling surfaces an annular venturi.

5. In a cowling system for aircraft, an annular fixed cowling having a central air passage therethrough, an annular rotating cowling having a central air passage alined with that of the fixed cowling and opening thereto, said cowlings also being alined and having a gap therebetween where they lie adjacent spaced from one another, means to suppress air leakage through said gap between the air passages and the cowl exterior comprising an annular band secured to one of said cowlings, within said air passages, said band being spaced from the cowling inner walls and bridging said gap and forming with said inner walls a venturi through which part of the air in the central passage flows, said band being so shaped as to create, at the venturi throat, at the passage end of said gap, a static air pressure substantially equal to the static air pressure at the outer end of said gap upon ow of air both over said cowling and through said passage.

6. In a duct system for aircraft comprising conduits in tandem relation having a gap therebetween and subject to airflow therethrough and thereover at different static pressures and velocities, means to minimize leakage of air through said gap comprising an annular band concentric with said conduits spaced close thereto, and bridging said gap, said band being curved in prole to define with said conduits an annular venturi whose throat lies adjacent said gap, and said band being disposed within said conduits.

'7. In a duct system for aircraft comprising tandem conduits having a gap therebetween, subject to airflow and static pressure within and subject to a lesser static pressure without, means to minimize air leakage through said gap comprising an element within said conduits forming with the conduit walls a venturi having its throat disposed at said gap, whereby airflow through the venturi throat produces a pressure thereat substantially equal to the pressure without.

LEO AVONDOGLIO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,513,241 Hardin Oct. 28, 1924 2,075,817 Loerke Apr. 6, 1937 2,274,743 Rosskopf Mar. 3, 1942 2,396,598 Newmann et al. Mar. 12, 1946 2,417,945 Parker Mar. 25, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 390,363 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1933 

